Explosively driven shutter type pressure release apparatus



Dec. 19, 1967 R. A. MONTGOMERY ET AL 3,358,961

EXPLOSIVELY DRIVEN SHUTTER TYPE PRESSURE RELEASE APPARATUS Filed March5, 1965 A no.1.

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I r 45 46 I7 INVENTOR RAYNER A. MONTGOMERY PAUL V. FINERAN EARL E.KILMER WILLIAM D. JAMES A I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 358 961EXPLOSIVELY DRIVEN SI-lUTTER TYPE PRESSURE RELEASE APPARATUS Rayner A.Montgomery and Paul V. Fineran, Silver Spring, and Earl E. Kilmer,College Park, Md., and

William D. James, Ames, Iowa, assignors to the United States of Americaas represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Mar. 5, 1963, Ser. No.263,084 2 Claims. (Cl. 251-11) The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment of any royaltiesthereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a quick acting valve and more particularly toan explosively operated slideable valve.

In providing a pressure release for pressure systems which require aquick acting pressure release device which operates upon command, metaldiaphragms ruptured by a shock wave or explosive membranes ruptured bydetonating explosives have been used. The disadvantages of the use ofthe metal diaphragms ruptured by shock waves include the production ofundesirable refiected shock waves in the system and the metallicfragments produced by the rupture of the metallic diaphragm. The use ofexplosive membranes produces undesirable byproducts of the explosivereaction which are confined to the system after the explosive membranehas been detonated.

With the present invention, a quick acting pressure release is providedwithout the undesirable after effects mentioned.

An object of this invention is to provide a rapid pressure release in afluid flow system.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sliding valve operatedby an explosive driving means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rapid release of apressure seal.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a quick actingvalve for releasing fluid pressure upon command.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view in perspective of the invention showing thevalve shutter in the closed or sealed position and the upper portionremoved;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the valve and partially broken away; and

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the valve of this invention similarto FIG. 1 when the shutter is in the open or released position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a valve is shown havinga lower plate 11 and an upper plate 13. The lower plate 11 and upperplate 13, not shown in FIG. 1, may be identical in size and shape exceptfor pins 15 in lower plate 11 which mate with corresponding holes inupper plate 13. Lower plate 11 and upper plate 13 are provided withmating recessed channel portions 17 and 19 providing a chamber in whichshutter body 21 may slide. Mating channel portions 23 and 25 in plates11 and 13 respectively provide a chamber in which the shoulder portion27 of valve shutter body 21 may slide. Shutter body 21 is provided withan aperture 29 which is aligned with holes 31 and 33 of plates 11 and 13respectively when the shutter is in the open position as indicated inFIG. 3. Annular recesses 35 and 36 are provided in plates 11 and 13respectively which are co- 3,358,961 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 axiallydisposed with relation to holes 31 and 33. These annular recesses arefitted with 0 rings 37 and 38 which provide a pressure seal between thelower and upper plates of the valve and the valve shutter body when thevalve shutter body is in the closed position. Holes 39 in lower plate 11and holes in upper plate 13, not shown, are provided for bolting orotherwise securing plates 11 and 13 together and for mounting the valvein a fluid flow system, e.g. a wind tunnel or a piping arrangement formoving fluids.

A cylinder body 43 is shown threadedly engaging the valve body. Acylinder 45 within cylinder body 43 provides for the slideable movementof piston 46 within the cylinder. A piston rod 47 is provided forconnecting piston 46 to the shoulder portion 27 of the shutter 21. AnO-ring 48 seals piston 46 and cylinder 45.

A plug 49 designed for threaded engagement with cylinder body 43provides a powder charge 51, a lead-in charge 53, an electrical fuze 55with wires 57 and 58 connecting fuze 55 to receptacle 59.

In operation, receptacle 59 is plugged into an external electricalcircuit containing a source of voltage for energizing the fuze and aswitch for controlling the operation of the valve. Normally the shutter21 of the valve will be in the closed position as shown in FIG. 1. Inthis position fluids under pressure in a chamber or pipe incommunication with hole 31 will be sealed ofl? from a chambet or pipe incommunication with hole 33. When it is desired that the seal betweenapertures or chambers 31 and 33 be broken, the electrical fuze circuitis energized, igniting the explosive charge 51. Explosion gasesresulting from the explosion of explosive charge 51 will then drivepiston 46, to the other end of cylinder 45 causing the valve body tomove to the open position with hole 29 in alignment with axial holes 31and 33 of the valve body, allowing fluids to travel freely through thevalve.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An explosively actuated pressure release apparatus comprising: valvebody means provided with a cylindrical opening projecting therethrough,said valve body means comprising a pair of plate members provided withrecess portions for slidably mounting shutter means therein; shuttermeans slidably mounted between said recess portions of said platemembers so as to divide said cylindrical opening into a first and asecond chamber when said shutter means is in a first position, saidshutter means defining an aperture therein which is out of alignmentwith respect to said cylindrical opening when said shutter means is insaid first position; a first sealing means and a second sealing meanslocated between said first chamber and said shutter means and betweensaid second chamber and said shutter means, respectively, whereby apressure seal is provided between said first chamber and said secondchamber; and shutter means driving means comprising piston body meansmounted on said valve body means and provided with an open cylinder forslidably mounting piston means therein, piston means slidably mounted insaid open cylinder in said piston body means and connected to saidshutter means for driving said shutter means to a second position inwhich the aperture in said shutter means is in alignment with respect tosaid cylindrical opening whereby the pressure seal between said firstchamber and said second chamber is broken, explosive charge meansmounted in said piston body means adjacent said piston means andelectrical detonating means connected to said explosive charge meanswhereby said shutter means may be driven from said first posi- 3 4 tionto said second position upon energizing said electri- 2,796,074 6/1957Daudelin 137-68 cal detonating means. 2,816,730 12/ 1957 Rabas 251-3282. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising shoul- 2,877,780 3/1957Whitley 137-68 der portion means through which said piston means is3,111,133 11/1963 Fulton 137-68 connected, to said shutter means. 53,122,154 2/1964 Siebel 137-68 2,441,894 5/1948 Mennecier 137-68 XReferences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM F. ODEA, PrimaryExaminer. 2,365,364 12/1944 Temple 137-68 R. GERARD, Assistant Examiner.

2,659,517 11/1953 Reinhardt 222-82 10

1. AN EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED PRESSURE RELEASE APPARATUS COMPRISING: VALVEBODY MEANS PROVIDED WITH A CYLINDRICAL OPENING PROJECTING THERETHROUGH,SAID VALVE BODY MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF PLATE MEMBERS PROVIDED WITHRECESS PORTIONS FOR SLIDABLY MOUNTING SHUTTER MEANS THEREIN; SHUTTERMEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID RECESS PORTIONS OF SAID PLATEMEMBERS SO AS TO DIVIDE SAI CYLINDRICAL OPENING INTO A FIRST AND SECONDCHAMBER WHEN SAID SHUTTER MEANS IS IN A FIRST POSITION, SAID SHUTTERMEANS DEFINING AN APERTURE THEREIN WHICH IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITHRESPECT TO SAID CYLINRICAL OPENING WHEN SAID SHUTTER MEANS IS IN SAIDFIRST POSITION; A FIRST SEALING MEANS AND A SECOND SEALING MEANS LOCATEDBETWEEN SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND SAID SHUTTER MEANS AND BETWEEN SAIDSECOND CHAMBER AND SAID SHUTTER MEANS, RESPECTIVELY, WHEREBY A PRESSURESEAL IS PROVIDED BETWEEN SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND SAID SECOND CHAMBER; ANDSHUTTER MEANS DRIVING MEANS COMPRISING PISTON BODY MEANS MOUNTED ON SAIDVALVE BODY MEANS AND PROVIDED WITH AN OPEN CYLINDER FOR SLIDABLYMOUNTING PISTON MEANS THEREIN, PISTON MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAIDOPEN CYLINDER IN SAID PISTON BODY MEANS AND CONNECTED TO SAID SHUTTERMEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SHUTTER MEANS TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THEAPERTURE IN SAID SHUTTER MEANS IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAIDCYLINDRICAL OPENING WHEREBY THE PRESSURE SEAL BETWEEN SAID FIRST CHAMBERAND SAID SECOND CHAMBER IS BROKEN, EXPLOSIVE CHARGE MEANS MOUNTED INSAID PISTON BODY MEANS ADJACENT SAID PISTON MEANS AND ELECTRICALDETONATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID EXPLOSIVE CHARGE MEANS WHEREBY SAIDSHUTTER MEANS MAY BE DRIVEN FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO SAID SECONDPOSITION UPON ENERGIZING SAID ELECTRICAL DETONATING MEANS.